Hetalia-The untold story
by EeveV
Summary: … by the start of the common area she would learn that being different is what makes everyone, even Nations, human and special, and she nothing if not special. This is the story of Esmeralda Esperanza de la Rosa Hidalgo Villa and her brother Emiliano Martin de la Rosa Morelos Zapata. Or as most of the world knows them as, Norte e Sur, the North and South representations of Mexico.
1. The Begining of the End

So... I'm going to try this again, I guess it wasn't that interesting at first, hopefully this version will be better... if not feel free to tell me!

I own nothing!

* * *

When she was born, she didn't expect to live as long as she has. In fact, it wasn't uncommon to die a quick and savage in the environment she came into the world in, and had it not been for those around her, she very well could have died before she had a chance to really live. Nations died almost as quickly as they appeared around her, but she was different it seemed, protected by the very Gods it… by the start of the common area she would begin to realize that being different was what made everyone, even Nations, human and special, and she's nothing if not special. This is the story of Esmeralda Esperanza de la Rosa Hidalgo Villa and her brother Emiliano Martin de la Rosa Morelos Zapata names laced with love, blood, pain, and pride... Or as most of the world knows them as, Norte e Sur, the North and South representations of Mexico.

Although most only know Sur. It's a long and complicated story about how her brother came to be known in Europe as she stayed in the America's… mostly it's that bustard Espanola's fault… actually it's all his fault that kidnapping oppressing little…

RIGHT so an explanation on how she and her brother came be caught up in the "Old World's" stupid expiation and survived.

 ** _Part One: The Beginning of the End; Enter the Pinche Españo_**

She doesn't remember much about her life before her brother was born, the early 1400s are a bit iffy, a blur of blood lust, death and overall confusion; _but_ she _does_ remember what her _Nantli_ (mother) _Xochiquetzal_. It's hard to forget someone so important to you after all.

As nations, most don't have mothers, but she and her _xocoyotzin icniuhtli_ (youngest brother) _Tenochtitlan_ (though she usually just called him _icniuhtli_ …. And it _defiantly_ had _nothing_ to do with the fact that he hatted it when she did it…) where lucky enough to live almost a full century enjoying just being a family… and then the _temamauhti_ (terrible) _Caztiltecatl_ came…. The Spaniards… the bastards with their guns, and their demands. With their greed and sicknesses that ate at the very soul of the land… slowly killing or changing everything her _Nantli_ had fought so hard and long to build and keep safe.

It started slowly, like most sicknesses, you don't realize what's happening. She remembers her _Nantli_ started to get headaches every so often around the beginning of the 1500s. _Tahtli_ (father/dad), the city-state known as _Texcoco_ , would try to sooth her pain with _cacao_ _atl_ and atolli (drinks) spiked with chilies and medicine the _Tepahtian_ (healer) would make, but she would just smile her smile, the one that most mothers have that could make anything bad good again, and say it was nothing. She should have known it wasn't nothing, it's almost _never_ nothing when it comes to women, a trick she herself would soon learn. It was early in 1517 that she herself confronted the _Caztiltecatl_ for the first time, not knowing what a big impact that lone conversation on the blood soaked beach would have on her life from that point forward.

The morning before that fateful batter found her in the market with her _icniuhtli_ , running and playing with the other kids who had come to the _Tlatelolco_ market at the center of her brother's floating city. As instructed by Gods that had come before her, the capital had been built where the people found the sacred eagle devouring a snake… they just so happened to find it when it was sitting on a cactus… that grew on a rock… in the middle of a lake… not that this stopped her people from building the city anyway. And it was a wonderful city, with the palace and temples at its epicenter reaching high into the heavens, bridges to connect the larger parts of the city together and canals to help mover around the goods sold at the market. A market her _icniuhtli_ never failed to inform her was the biggest and most important market in all the surrounding empires, connecting the Norte to the Sur and bringing people from all around together to buy and sell their goods. He would constantly brag about how without _his_ market, the empire would have crumbled long ago…at least to her, he didn't dare say that sort of thing in front of their _Tahtli_ lest he give the boy a good smack and lecture about how the only thing that kept _his_ so called market and there for their empire and _them_ alive was the people.

She herself was the representation of the early _Chichinecha_ , the original group of nomadic tribes that first formed the Aztec Empire. However, when they had taken power from the _Tula_ the previous ruling empire, _Xochiquetzal_ had been allowed to stay as acting ruling representation as her role of Goddess made her untouchable. Not that _Chichinecha_ minded, she was still very young when the war was won, and all that death had been hard for her, luckily her _Nantli_ and _Tahtli_ fell in love with her and she with them almost at first site. And so her _Nantli_ and _Tahtli_ became the Aztec Empire together and the surrounding territories and she was known as _Cihuacóatl_ , (though most people just called her _Miztan_ or "Wild Cat") the very spirit of the land and creator of its people as both of her parents said that neither of them could have been without her. _Tenochtitlan_ was born early in the 15th century, about a century after she herself came into existence, but much like with her parents, she loved her _icniuhtli_ from the moment her eyes met his deep in the _cuachtla_ (woods) just outside where the city was being built where she had first seen him and since then they had been inseparable.

It was no different on that bright February day as they ran under and around people in the market, one of the bigger plots of land that had been built on the lake, weaving their way towards the center of the square in their race, competing more with each other than the other children who had fallen behind long ago. As nations, even young ones, they had more speed than those around them so it was a bit unfair to expect mortals to keep up with them, even the adult ones. The sun was shining down onto the market, even in late winter shining off of the gold and turquoise bands that differentiated _Miztan_ and her _icniuhtli_ from the rest of society around them, the silent barrier that kept even the friendliest of children from getting too close to them. _Miztan_ was use to this by now, or at least less affected by it than _Icniuhtli_ was, as he would still sometimes cry at the treatment of isolation they were given usually prompting endless teasing from his sister to get his mind off of it and on chasing her around the temples.

Although much older, both she and her brother looked about the same age, eight or nine, which was at times a pain, but at others very convenient… like when running away from a vender who's _tomatl_ she had just dumped onto the floor in her hasty jump over them to get to the square first, prompting the man to shout profanities not at her but at her parents. The thing about moving so fast and looking like a kid, most didn't recognized her unless they tried and she got away with much more for being "young" than being a "god" any day as the priests in the temples where not afraid to report her actions to her _Tahtli_ or Gods forbid her _Nantli_.

She called an apology behind her as she quickened her paste laughing easily as her skirt shifted back down as she landed from her jump, not bothering to help out in picking the mess up as _Icniuhtli_ was hot on her tail, picking up his paste as he watched her stumble, his long dark hair flying freely behind him. This made her eyes narrow as she turned forward again even as she grinned like the cat she was so often compared to. She _had_ to keep her winning streak less her _icniuhtli_ forget who was older, and by definition better at everything; (a stance she would continue to hold well into the modern age about _all_ her younger brothers... even her hamburger guzzling ones…) She didn't know why, but of late her brother had been getting less and less cute and there for more and more annoying as the years continued to pass. She blamed those stupid men in the temples who were coming over from _Caobana_ (Cuba) with their silly new ideas of a male dominate society only. She loved her _Tahtli_ and _Icniuhtli_ but without _Nantli_ and her, they would be utterly lost she thought shaking her head, freeing more of her hair from its braids as she ran faster.

With a final burst of energy and a triumphed yell, _Miztan_ ran into the fountain in the middle of the shopping district to stop herself and catch her breath feeling the stones beneath her tremble from the force hoping that it wouldn't collapse under her, keeping the city afloat was hard enough without her destroying things along the way. People around her turned to look at her yell, but seeing that it was just one of their young gods catching sight of her gold band, they went back to what they had been doing, secure in the fact that if the young gods had time to play so freely, then the rumors coming from outside the empire could not be as true as most outside the city believed. She felt more than heard her brother catch up, landing much softer than she had and sinking to his knees agents the stones supporting her with a sigh resting his head agents the stone before turning and leaning his back agents it, his head in his hands, his long hair falling strait around him. After a few seconds of catching her breath she grinned ever wider, her eyes sparkling as she turned to him, falling down next to him as he rested his head in his hands.

"Don't say it _Hueltichtli_ (sister), just don't…." using a name he only used when he was being serious… or annoyed as he was now, his voice was muffled by his hands as he refused to look at the grin he _knew_ was on his sister's face. He knew what was coming…he had been _so_ _close_ to winning this time… but of course she had to jump. She wasn't known to most as _Miztan_ for nothing…. _Stupid cat… with your stupid long jumps and balance…._ He was _so sure_ he had her when she's stumbled going around the little girl who had been in her way and knocked over that _tomatl_ stand, but _noooo_ , she just _had_ to keep her balance. He had caught up to her though, so that was something… but that also meant that if she hadn't had that accident, he wouldn't have even been close. The very thought made him groan again.

"Oh come on _Icniuhtli_ , don't be like that!" she said bumping his shoulder with her own as he continued to groan into his hands. The market around them was full of colors and sounds that they both loved to drown in, feeling the very breath of the earth around them in the wind and the feeling of _life_ that surrounded them made her smile as the rest of the kids finally made it to the fountain. It seemed like they were counting whoever of them got there first as the winners of the race, not she or her brother. She sighed but couldn't blame them, it wasn't quite fair to make a mortal race a God, even a child one. _Icniuhtli_ finally looked up from his hands, not at his sister, but to the sky, trying not to dread what was to come simply enjoying the sounds that surrounded them. The children laughing in their play, the adults bickering and trying to get the best price for their wares.

 _Miztan_ simply smiled and continued to look around them, knowing what her brother was doing, stalling. As there weren't too many kids who played with them in the first place, _Icniuhtli_ had come up with a way too keep whatever they played interesting. Every time one of them won, they would do a favor for the other. It started as a way for him to get things out of his sister, but he soon found that given that goal, she would become almost unstoppable. He had his fair share of wins under his _t_ _laquemitl (_ belt _)_ , but she was far too ahead on the favors for his liking. And because they swore every favor on the Gods, he couldn't very well deny her. Not that he would anyway, he was a proud God himself, he couldn't afford to let something as small as his pride get in the way of his honor.

He finally slid his eyes towards his sister, who was absently watching the people around them silently as he contemplated his doom, seemingly relaxed and unthreatening as she watched the world around them, but he knew better. Too many times he and other warriors had fallen for her innocent act of relaxation and absent smile. He and many of their enemies had learned that the more relaxed she seemed, the more ready to strike she was. Although they seemed children, they had both been taught to fight and defend and expand their empire, both had over the many years earned many bands of valor that they wore honorably when the occasion called for it.

Right now however both she and he were in simple out door cotton wear, his loincloth was plain white with only a little color around the ends rather than the red one he wore around the palace and temples, although it did still have the Jaguar that represented his regiment of warriors that adorned all of his clothing. Similarly, his's sister's simple skirt and shirt held color only on the edges and in the Eagle that flew on her back. They had left their head dresses and other gold jewels back home to try and blend in better. Although now that he though on it, the emblems of the armies they respectively ran may be one of the reasons the children wouldn't play with them, maybe he could get a loincloth without it… _nah, it's an awesome design… I'll keep it._ He sighed and ran a hand threw his wavy dark brown hair and met his sisters odd and striking purple/blue eyes with his brown and green waiting for her to tell him what he had to do.

 _Miztan_ smiled as she pulled her long light brown hair over one shoulder to braid it again, as it had been ruined by the race so she had undone it when she had first sat down next to her brother enjoying waiting for him to face his doom on his own rather than pester him about it. She was enjoying watching the market on such a busy day too, ease dropping on different conversations to learn more about the places she had not been allowed to go in recent years and how they had changed. When the Empire was younger, she and her brother had had free rage of it and the surrounding tribes, being the most powerful and well trained from an early age to fight off any would be attackers, but as more and more light skinned strangers landed on the different Islands around them, _Nantli_ had insisted that they stay in the city and only go as far as the woods on its edge without a full escort. It wasn't her idea of fun as that usually meant that they were off to find more sacrifices for the temples, but she was not one to question her _Nantli_ , it never ended well anyway…

She was about to say something when suddenly, they both felt a sharp pain, she in her chest and he in his head. Just as the pain began to fade, _Icniuhtli_ saw a palace guard running towards them just as _Miztan_ saw a vision of tall lighter skinned man with brown hair much like her own and green eyes set foot on a beach she knew was in their city of Yucatan, and as he turned to look towards the city, she felt as if their eyes met through the vision sending a chill down her spine as he slowly smiled at her. " _Temamauhti_ … _Tecuani_ …." (Terrible wild beast) she whispered as the vison ended and a chill was sent down her spine at the sight of the raw destructive hunger in the man's eyes.

Her brother was looking at her with wide eyes, noting both her expression and the emotions that bounced around her as the guard finally reached them panting as he leaned over, supporting his weight on his thighs with his hands "You're…. needed….at… the palace…. young Gods…."

 _Icniuhtli_ nodded to the guard before looking towards his sister again seeing her eyes shine with unshed tears. "Come _Mizton_ , _Nantli_ and _Tahtli_ need of us, let us go." He said softly, slowly taking his sisters hands gently and guiding them to their feet as she seemed to come out of whatever trance she was in.

" _Nantli_ …" was the last thing she gasped before turning and bolting towards the palace, dragging her brother behind her as her half braided hair undid itself flying freely and wildly in the wind, leaving the poor guard to catch up when he could. She didn't know what her vision had meant, but she knew for sure was that it was true and happening at that moment, and something needed to be done, now, lest that horrid feeling she had in the center of her chest grew worst. Her brother spared her a side glace as they raced home, hopping that the feeling he was getting off of his sister where not as bad as they seemed to be, and that everything at home was ok.

Meanwhile on the beautiful and calm beaches of Yucatan, Conquistador Francisco Hernandez Cordoba was contemplating the types of different spices he would find in this lands wild woods as his men unloaded from and secured the small boats from their ships to the beach, next to him Antonio Fernández Carriedo, the personification of Spain, was trying to contain his excitement. He couldn't wait to get yet another cute little colony to add to his growing collection, and if that little girl he had seen when he first step on the beach was anything to go buy, this land would wield just as cute of a colony as all the others. He couldn't wait…


	2. The Arival

_New Chapter!_

 _I own nothing! Except turtles... I do have two turtles..._

* * *

 _Xochiquetzal_ was dying. She had known it was coming, felt it in the way her bones would ache and creek more and more everyday over the past few years when she awoke, but she had not realized how quickly it was coming. If the pain that was running through her body was any sort of indication, her end would be much sooner than she could ever hope for. As a nation built on and through warrior's blood, she had never really expected to live long, and so was not afraid of the end, welcomed it even, but she didn't think it would be so slow and painful... her very hair was on fire with pain and felt as if it weighed a ton, she could feel each strand pulling her closer and closer to the underworld. It was almost as if her very body was fighting to kill itself before anyone else was given the chance to end her suffering.

But it wasn't as if she had the luxury of showing such weakness to her family let alone the court, or the warriors gathered around her and _Namictli_ (spouse) in the large hall in front of them as they sat above the inhabitance of the room in two large thrones as they waited for her children… her two wonderful little _Mocentlalia Ahuiliztli_ (joy gatherers), so full of the _Tlanequiliztli_ (will power) and _Tletl_ (fire) of the very sun running through their vanes; but how would they fair without her and her _Namictli_? For she knew they would survive long after her death, both of them, regardless of the troubles that came their way, for they were anything but quitters and of all of the Gods that preceded them they had the will to continue on in this new world consuming them. Even this close to death she had no trouble believing they would continue on and make her proud.

She allowed a small smile to slip past the stiff mask of a Goddess she was wearing as the thought crossed her mind. _Those two will survive simply to spite the Caxtiltecatl that come to kill us…_ beside her, _Namictli_ caught her eye and flashed a quick grin, flashing strait pear white teeth at her before turning his attention back to their audience, hardening his features again but she could still see that childish glint in his eyes she had fallen in love with so long ago from across the battle field… _Tenochtitlan_ and _Cihuacóatl_ had both inherited that trait… She chuckled softly and shook her head abandoning her Goddess persona completely as her dark hair moved freely under her ornate headdress, glistening and jingling in the silent sun lit room, startling some of her followers, but relaxing more than a few warriors. They knew if their _Teotl_ (God/Awesome) was laughing, they had nothing to fear…at least not yet.

Beside her, _Namictli_ cracked another small smile as he basked in the sound of his wife's beautiful laugh, something he hadn't had the pleasure of doing in far too long for his tastes. He knew she hid her pain from him, and cursed himself every day for not being able to ease her pain. He turned his head slightly as she continued to smile staring out over the people that had gathered around them, her dark skin shining in the heat and sun that flooded into the room from its open walls. He gave a small inaudible sigh as he felt his heart simultaneously swell and brake at her beauty all over again. They had met many years ago on the battel field and it's a moment he would never forget and always cherish. Locking his crimson eyes with her beautiful brown and gold rimed pools of passion and lust had been the best thing to ever happen to him, and even though he was beaten that day, he still counts it as the best day of his life, seconded only by the days that he found his little warriors and their family become complete.

 _Xochiquetzal_ met his eyes as her smile warmed into a soft lift on her lips, almost invisible, but he loved to catch sight of it because it was a smile meant only for him, something that no other would notice but that made him fall in love with her more every time he saw it. He was forever teased by his children about being such a sap for their mother, but he didn't mind. She was more than worth it. She reached out to take his's hand, squeezing it before they turned to face the open air hall in front of them again, Godly mask back in place.

The long ornate Hall was filled with not only the royal army's commanders, but also representatives of both her children's regiments, as well as the messenger from Yucatan, who was standing in the middle of the hall, looking more than a little nervous in the presents of two Gods and all their might, which although meager in size, to him looked fierce enough to conquer any enemy. The poor boy looked as if he was going to soil himself when she laughed, and had flinched away from them on his knees his long dark hair covering his face as he bent his head down more. It wasn't that the sound was unpleasant, it had in fact sent shivers of pleasure down the boy's back, it was just that he had never heard a God laugh, heck he had never even _seen_ a God before today.

It was more than humbling having to be in their presence dressed in only a loincloth, and not even his best one! When he had been choses it had been for his speed, not his status as the elders where far more concerned in the village's safety than formalities. He cursed his luck again at his appearance, his sandals were beaten from work in the fields and he was sure he had at least a few leaves in his hair from running through the woods so quickly. It was usually a four-day trip from Yucatan to the capitol, and that's if you have a raft to get you closer, which he did, but with his speed, he had made it in three and a half. He was sea worn, covered in dirt from the woods and he was existed from the trip alone, this nerve racking experience was not helping that, nor was the fact that he hadn't eaten since landing ashore over 15 hours ago, having run through the night to get here as fast as he could. Over all he was just ready to find a nice place to take a nap before heading home again and for this whole ordeal to be over with.

 _Xochiquetzal_ took pity on the boy as he slowly raised his head to bravely meet her eyes with his dark brown ones, his courage and the exhaustion flowing off of him in waves brought a soft reassuring smile to her lips as she returned his stare. The boy was in his late teens/early twenties, and was a fisherman by trade from what he had already told them. As such he was slim and tall for his age, but lacked a warrior's built and bulk of muscles, as was common in villages around the coast, not that he lacked strength. Her quick warriors mind saw potential in his body, he had strong shoulders from living off the land and when he walked in, she had noted the strength in his legs before he kneeled. The boy had to be quick on flat ground and likely be able to clime and maneuver through trees and woods as he was familiar with the terrain having grown up so close to it. And if he was to be believed, he had cut a six-day trip down to nearly half the time with both his quick mind and speed. Not many dare use the sea as a sort cut to the capitol as it is fraught with danger but this boy didn't seem to have had any problem with it.

 _He would make a wonderful friend for Icniuhtli_ _and Miztan_ …She smiled again at the thought, him making the boy's heart jump at the attention before he again bowed his head to hide his growing blush at her attention. _Namictli_ raised an eyebrow at the boy's blush smirking a little at his wife, squeezing her hand again. _Can't blame the kid… gets me every time too._ The boy took another deep breath trying to calm himself again.

He had not expected so much attention when he actually got to the capital and inform the Emperor that strange ships had appeared on the coast, and in fact he hadn't. Moctezuma's court had almost not even listed to the message, deeming it not worth their time, making him more than a little annoyed with the whole trip but he had thought that to be the end of it. It wasn't until he had almost been out of the city in search for a place to nap that the guards of the Temple had informed him that he would be coming with them to speak to the Gods.

He had thought it was all a big mistake. Who was he to speak to _Gods_!? The court was one thing; he was only to address a man of Moctezuma's court not the man himself! But this! He was just an orphan fisherman, the occasional trader, he had no right to look upon the very soul of his land! Imagen his shock and fear as he was nearly picked up and presented to the very Gods he worshiped, _Xochiquetzal_ and _Mictlantecuhtli_ , goddess of love and god of death. Both as terribly awesome as he had ever dreamed and more. The smile sent his way by Xochiquetzal was returned shyly after he calmed down and he relaxed a little as he felt the peace that was rumored to engulf one when in the presence of one of the few Gods still left in the land. The _Achtontli_ (Great-grandfather, ancestor) in the village he grew up in passed down stories about how other Gods once roamed the land, but how that over time they would ascend to heaven to watch over the land, making those Gods they had left on land all the more precious to the people, they to them.

There was a sudden noise at the entrance of the temple, pulling peoples attention from their own thoughts to the two young Gods who came racing into the room as if demons where at their backs, sweeping past the started messenger to kneel before their parents, leaving him to marvel at their speed as they came to an abrupt stop in front of him to kneel themselves. "You...called..." the younger of the two gasped as he and his sister tried to catch their breaths listening to them echo in the silent hall around them their heads bowed waiting to be addressed.

"Yes we did…it would seem you got the message" their _Tahtli_ said with a raised eyebrow as he watched his children begin to breath normally again. His wife chuckled silently beside him at their antics and the look on the poor boy's face behind them. _We'll be lucky if the boy lives long enough to finish his mission. From the look on his face, he may die of shock first._

"We did _Tahtli_ ….and I think… I know why… you have called us…." _Miztan_ said as she lifted her head to meet her Father's deep red and gold rimed eyes with her own still fighting to get her breath under control as her brother stiffened beside her. As the God of death, _Mictlantecuhtli_ was feared and respected, however, had he been born a normal warrior, it would have been the same. For his appearance was strikingly different from all of those around him. His hair was the color of the _Cetl_ (ice/snow) that fell high in the mountains, but one could hardly see it for although he wore it as long if not longer than other warriors, it was so fair it was almost lost behind the gold chains and feathers adorning his headdress. His skill was as pail as bones without flesh, darkened only by the tattoos that described his rise to power as a warrior that adorned most of his body. Most striking however where his eyes. The color that seemed to reflect his surroundings on the battle field, the deep red surrounded by the gold adorning those he slain. He was a sight to behold when covered in the blood of the vanquished, and hard to miss on the battle field, something he relished and encouraged in his earlier days as the God of Death.

Now however he withheld a heavy sigh feeling the centuries of his age weighing him down as he stared into the eyes of his daughter, eyes fart too wise for her appearance, something that never failed to sadden him. Although neither of his children shared any real physical traits with him, both being of much darker skin, though _Miztan_ was far lighter than her brother, and both had very unique eyes of their own; like any father he still wished to guard them from the harm and death that surrounded them every day. Turning his head slightly to catch his wives eye, he saw the understanding and fear for their daughter he felt reflected in her own dark eyes. They both new what this meant.

As a young girl _Miztan_ was often pledged with visions whenever something of importance was to happen, usually proceeding a major war and seemingly endless death. Over the past century they were almost nonexistent, the fact that they had come back did not sit well with either of her parents. Next to her, her brother tensed as he watched emotions fly between his parents. He had always been very in tuned to the emotions of those around him, and could even _see_ the emotions of those closest to his own if he tried hard enough or if the emotions where strong enough. Not many knew of his gift, really only his sister did, as he didn't feel comfortable enough to tell his parents, afraid of what they might do with the information. _Miztan_ squeezed the hand still in her own as she felt him tense, giving silent comfort as her eyes stayed glued to their mother waiting to meet her eye.

 _Xochiquetzal_ returned her gaze after a moment, eyes now those of a harden warrior and God as she nodded her understanding and motioned for her children to stand and take their places between their father and herself, squeezing her _Namictli_ hand one last time before releasing it and turning her eyes to the messenger still shaking and kneeling before them, more nervous now that the gaze of more Gods had turned towards him again.

" _Ilhuia motenehua conetl (Tell me your name, child)_ " she asked with a warm smile to reassure the poor boy, her voice like liquid gold carried through the hall even as she kept her tone quite. It seemed to work to calm the boy as his shoulders relaxed a bit and he met her smile with a shy one of his own.

" _Yolotl Aztecatl_ (heart of the Aztecs)" he said quietly as a blush covered his face finding the irony of the situation more than a bit embarrassing, yet again cursing his luck and whatever god was making a fool of him this day. _Xochiquetzal_ simply smiled wider, seeming to shine in her seat as she quietly chuckled to herself, she felt more than saw her family have a similar reaction. _Icniuhtli_ and _Miztan_ glanced at each other and grinned as their _Tahtli_ stifled a very un-warrior like giggle, this relaxed their messenger a bit more observing such high beings act so _human_ was more than a bit comforting.

"What is your message that our dear Emperor felt the need to ignore?" _Mictlantecuhtli_ asked quietly, humor suddenly gone as he fought the constant annoyance he felt towards the current ruler of the land, a man that in his opinion was far too focused on legends than reality. Who was he to say that the gods needed to be satisfied with blood? Was _he_ a God? No! But still the man refused to listen to those Gods he had at his disposal and continued to try an appease ones long since gone, with the savage act of sacrifice. _Icniuhtli_ placed a hand on his father's shoulder to help center him in the present moment and bring his attention back to the matter at hand before he frightened the boy in front of them needlessly. He knew his father sometimes forgot just how menacing he could be when simply thinking.

 _Yolotl_ bowed his head at the look in his God's eyes, taking a deep breath to calm himself before addressing the Gods in front of him, fighting the overwhelming energy that seemed to radiate off of the family. "I come from my humble village on the coast to inform the court that we have spotted strange ships off of shore, much larger than any that have come before to trade, by now those ships may very well have docked, bringing with them we do not know what, we ask our co-… our _Gods_ what we should do with these developments." Having given his message, _Yolotl_ bent his head down waiting for a response, but the voice he heard was not the one he had expected, nor did it give the answer he would have thought her to give.

"We will gather a force and meet these ships, drive them from this land and assure that they do not return." _Miztan_ said in a fiercely, her eyes shining and back strait as she addressed not only Yolotl, but the entire room, demanding that they listen. She made quite the sight to _Yolotl_ , and he could not have imagined the amount of power and respect that resided inside the small purple eyed girl that allowed her to command such a large room filled with so many warriors. Standing just taller than the two older Gods sitting on either side of her, she should have looked frail and small but as he gazed up the idles to her, he felt an overwhelming need to do just as she said, and to see it done quickly to bring a smile to her young face rather than that look of resigned determination that now covered it. Her eyes where hard and narrowed as she met the eye of the warriors in front of her, standing tall and slightly forward, like a cat ready to pounce.

On either side of her, her parents stiffened but said nothing, silently dreading what they new would come. Next to her, _Icniuhtli_ sighed quietly but showed no other emotion. He would back his sister up, regardless of her rash decision, and pray to the Sun that nothing would go too horribly. Around them, the room seemed to radiate with energy and that morbid excitement that proceeded any battle, feeding off of itself and spreading outward making the small number of warriors exude the power and menace of a full army.

After what seemed like years of tense silence, the heads of the _Ocelotl_ (Jaguar) and _Cuicuizcati_ (Swallow) regiment stepped forward and kneeled to their commanders. "We are ready at your command my Lady." _Miztan_ ' commander said as he bowed his head. She nodded and began to address both commanders, soon messengers were being sent to different parts of the city to start gathering warriors and supplies. _Icniuhtli_ sighed at his sisters antics and shook her head before stepping down to stand before the messenger to help the boy stand, shocking not only the boy but many of those watching. His parents simply smiled as his sister ignored the action, she knew he would care for the boy wail she dealt with the rest of their departure planning.

"Come on _Yolotl,_ let's get you something to eat, you look like you could use it, and I'm a little hungry myself." The young god said before taking his hand and leading him further into the temple towards the kitchens. _Yolotl_ ' eyes widened as he was led away, being touched by a GOD! He looked towards the idles still seated and was shocked yet again to see the God laughing in his seat and the Goddess playfully smacking his shoulder and nodding to him to go on and fallow her son, not that he had much of a choice in the matter as he was being basically dragged by the surprisingly strong boy.

"OH, grab me something too _Icniuhtli!"_ _Miztan_ yelled over her shoulder at her brother as she continued to make plans, reading some of them men already present to leave immediately, it would take the full force at least five days to reach the intruders if they stayed on the beach, so they needed a quick and small group to move on ahead and slow the enemy down. _Icniuhtli_ waved her off, having known she would ask for something. _These Gods are nothing like I imagined… Yolotl_ thought as he was dragged and then forced to sit in the kitchen as servants began to place food in front of him and the young God, other having been sent to deliver food to those left behind in the grand hall.

After a clam and relaxing meal with the young God ("Just call me _Icniuhtli_ , everyone else here does, it's no big deal anymore" he had been told) he was lead back to the main hall where a flurry of preparations was taking place and sooner than seemed possible, they were ready to head towards his village, a regiment of almost 700 behind them, some hundred having already left in front of them. The speed of it all left _Yolotl'_ head spinning as he was again ushered towards the front of the group by _Icniuhtli_ , seemingly to lead the way back to his small village with the young gods where at that moment Spain was leading his 300 some men inland, casually swinging his large ax back and forth in front of him to knock down the trees and other foliage in his way.

"Do you think we'll find anything worth keeping on the way to this 'floating capital'?" Francisco asked as he walked casually, almost arrogantly next to his nation, as if on a nice stroll down a busy street of Barcelona rather than a jungle, an effect that was somewhat lessened as he stumbled over a fallen branch. Spain laughed as he helped him keep his balance but otherwise didn't comment as he responded.

"Oh I am sure we will find many things worth keeping here….and many more worth not…" with a bright smile he continued on his way, ignoring the yell of pain given off by the man who had been hiding in the bushes he had just cut into before the man's blood landed on his exposed arm. "Oh sorry _Amigo_! You really shouldn't be hiding in bushes though, it could be dangerous." He said as he swung his ax down again, chopping the man in half diagonal from his left shoulder to his right hip. Blood splattered onto the trees around them and seeped into the land as Antonio shook his head and wiped what had landed on his cheek off with a handkerchief handed to him by a slightly shocked Francisco behind him. He had heard of the nation's strength and brutality from others but seeing it first hand was a bit shocking. Antonio caught the look in his man's eye and smiled kindly as he finished wiping the blood off of his face and handed back the handkerchief, letting what had landed on his armor roll off and into the dirt itself. "I don't like to see them suffer…unless I want them to of course."

"O-of course…" Francisco muttered as he watched blood drip down the plants and trees around them it had landed on, almost as if it were tears being shed by the land itself. He had a distinct feeling at that moment that this was the beginning of something that no one would be able to stop or control…and that although they may have spilled the first drops of blood on this land, it would demand twice as much from them… the very thought sent cold shivers down his spine as they continued moving towards the city rumored to be ahead. Antonio smiled and whistled a little as he stepped over the man he had killed, leaving his body to be taking care of by his men, his mind on reaching the capitol as fast as he could in order to capture that cute little girl he had seen in his vision.

The other men scatter in hiding around the path these strangers where forcing through the jungle watched in horror as the man who had just killed one of their own simply walk over the body and continue to destroy their bountiful jungle, smiling absently and _whistling…_ they felt rage take over what fear may have been in their hearts. These strangers would pay for what they had done and continued to do the land…

It would take these men at least a day to reach the town, maybe less if they continued through the night, but by then it would be deserted. All of the women and children would be gone to the caves nearer the shore and the men would be waiting to fight them in the jungle that separated them from the next town, for there they would make their stand and wait for the troops from the city to arrive hopefully before the strangers pushed too far ahead, or they would be able to gather more men from different villages soon for they were hopelessly out numbered with only about 150 able men in their small village to defend it, but defend it they would, for no man in the Empire would fall to these pail skinned demons without a fight.


End file.
